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All In

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. – Romans 12:1

One of the two Chicago Major League Baseball teams adopted the catch phrase ‘All In’ this season. Commentators have had some fun thinking of all the ways this could be interpreted but it’s generally agreed that what they meant to communicate was a total commitment to a winning season. Every member of the team will show up for every game, give it their all and make victory their goal.

I wonder how different it would be for them if they had a 100% guarantee of victory before the season even started. They are still expected to show up every day, give all they’ve got but the outcome is certain from day one. It seems to me any athlete given that assurance might just relax and really enjoy every game, might find exhilaration in getting better and better without feeling pressure when they have an off day or two. Or they might just slack off. They might give a half effort or no effort. After all, the trophy is already theirs. Why work so hard if the reward’s not dependent on your effort.

There’s the tension we who follow Christ live in. Through no effort of our own we have victory over sin, death and the devil. We win. There is freedom in that allowing us to strive each day to be our best for the sake of being our best. That same freedom allows us to do nothing. As St. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:23, ‘“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.’ Our team and each member on it has freedom and victory. In view of God’s mercy we are urged to offer our very bodies as living sacrifices as an act of worship. So, how about you? Are you all in?

Prayer
Heavenly Father, you have called me to a life of sacrifice not to achieve victory but because you have already won the victory I couldn’t win by my own effort. By your Spirit move me ‘all in’ every day as an act of worship. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.